1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel spacer apparatus. More specifically, the present apparatus provides a wheel spacer apparatus for spacing and stacking vehicle wheels during manufacturing, transport, and storage and while inhibiting damage of the wheel finish.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of devices are used in order to move wheels through a manufacturing process, store vehicle wheels at manufacturing facilities, transport the wheels from the wheel manufacturer to an automobile manufacturing facility, and store the wheels at the vehicle manufacturing facility until the wheels are needed during vehicle manufacture. Many of these devices are referred to as “trays” or “dividers” and are formed of wood in a substantially planar configuration. The wood spacers presently used are positioned between rows of vehicle wheels such that a pallet is positioned at ground level, a first spacer is positioned on top of the pallet, a first at least two rows of wheels on top of the first spacer, a second spacer on top of the at least two rows of wheels, a second at least two rows of wheels on top the second spacer, and so on until the wheels are stacked to a desirable height for storage and transportation.
However, wooden spacer devices have a plurality of operating disadvantages. Wooden spacers crack, break, and splinter creating dust and wood debris which may contact a wheel surface before painting or plating and therefore may cause surface defects and reject wheels. Wood spacers which splinter become unusable and are also prone to cause injury to workers using the spacers. Another problem with wooden spacers is that the wood collects or absorbs water resulting in warped spacers and in turn resulting in unstable wheel stacks. The wet wood also breaks and chips easily resulting in wheel to wheel contact which may damage a wheel finish. Another problem with the use of wood is that the weight of the wood is such that the wood spacers can each weigh about 25 pounds.
In view of known deficiencies associated with existing wood spacers, a spacer is needed having good strength characteristics, inhibiting bowing even when wet, which drains water, weighing less than comparably sized wooden spacers, may be used with various wheel sizes, and inhibits the spread of dust and debris.